Showing papers on "Scattering published in 2015"

Dense dislocation arrays embedded in grain boundaries for high-performance bulk thermoelectrics

Abstract: The widespread use of thermoelectric technology is constrained by a relatively low conversion efficiency of the bulk alloys, which is evaluated in terms of a dimensionless figure of merit ( zT ). The zT of bulk alloys can be improved by reducing lattice thermal conductivity through grain boundary and point-defect scattering, which target low- and high-frequency phonons. Dense dislocation arrays formed at low-energy grain boundaries by liquid-phase compaction in Bi 0.5 Sb 1.5 Te 3 (bismuth antimony telluride) effectively scatter midfrequency phonons, leading to a substantially lower lattice thermal conductivity. Full-spectrum phonon scattering with minimal charge-carrier scattering dramatically improved the zT to 1.86 ± 0.15 at 320 kelvin (K). Further, a thermoelectric cooler confirmed the performance with a maximum temperature difference of 81 K, which is much higher than current commercial Peltier cooling devices.

EPOS LHC: Test of collective hadronization with data measured at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

Abstract: EPOS is a Monte-Carlo event generator for minimum bias hadronic interac- tions, used for both heavy ion interactions and cosmic ray air shower simulations. Since the last public release in 2009, the LHC experiments have provided a number of very inter- esting data sets comprising minimum bias p-p, p-Pb and Pb-Pb interactions. We describe the changes required to the model to reproduce in detail the new data available from LHC and the consequences in the interpretation of these data. In particular we discuss the effect of the collective hadronization in p-p scattering. A different parametrization of flow has been introduced in the case of a small volume with high density of thermalized matter (core) reached in p-p compared to large volume produced in heavy ion collisions. Both parametrizations depend only on the geometry and the amount of secondary particles en- tering in the core and not on the beam mass or energy. The transition between the two flow regimes can be tested with p-Pb data. EPOS LHC is able to reproduce all minimum bias results for all particles with transverse momentum from pt = 0 to a few GeV/c.

Efficient hot-electron transfer by a plasmon-induced interfacial charge-transfer transition

Abstract: Plasmon-induced hot-electron transfer from metal nanostructures is a potential new paradigm for solar energy conversion; however, the reported efficiencies of devices based on this concept are often low because of the loss of hot electrons via ultrafast electron-electron scattering. We propose a pathway, called the plasmon-induced interfacial charge-transfer transition (PICTT), that enables the decay of a plasmon by directly exciting an electron from the metal to a strongly coupled acceptor. We demonstrated this concept in cadmium selenide nanorods with gold tips, in which the gold plasmon was strongly damped by cadmium selenide through interfacial electron transfer. The quantum efficiency of the PICTT process was high (>24%), independent of excitation photon energy over a ~1-electron volt range, and dependent on the excitation polarization.

Scattering continuum and possible fractionalized excitations in α-RuCl(3).

Abstract: The combination of electronic correlation and spin-orbit coupling is thought to precipitate a variety of highly unusual electronic phases in solids, including topological and quantum spin liquid states. We report a Raman scattering study that provides evidence for unconventional excitations in α-RuCl_{3}, a spin-orbit coupled Mott insulator on the honeycomb lattice. In particular, our measurements reveal unusual magnetic scattering, typified by a broad continuum. The temperature dependence of this continuum is evident over a large scale compared to the magnetic ordering temperature, suggestive of frustrated magnetic interactions. This is confirmed through an analysis of the phonon linewidths, which show a related anomaly due to spin-phonon coupling. These observations are in line with theoretical expectations for the Heisenberg-Kitaev model and suggest that α-RuCl_{3} may be close to a quantum spin liquid ground state.

Feedback-based wavefront shaping.

Abstract: Light scattering was thought to be the fundamental limitation for the depth at which optical imaging methods can retain their resolution and sensitivity. However, it was shown that light can be focused inside even the most strongly scattering objects by spatially shaping the wavefront of the incident light. This review summarizes recently developed feedback-based approaches for focusing light inside and through scattering objects

GIXSGUI: a MATLAB toolbox for grazing-incidence X-ray scattering data visualization and reduction, and indexing of buried three-dimensional periodic nanostructured films

Abstract: GIXSGUI is a MATLAB toolbox that offers both a graphical user interface and script-based access to visualize and process grazing-incidence X-ray scattering data from nanostructures on surfaces and in thin films. It provides routine surface scattering data reduction methods such as geometric correction, one-dimensional intensity linecut, two-dimensional intensity reshaping etc. Three-dimensional indexing is also implemented to determine the space group and lattice parameters of buried organized nanoscopic structures in supported thin films.

Theory and computation of hot carriers generated by surface plasmon polaritons in noble metals

Abstract: Hot carriers (HC) generated by surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in noble metals are promising for application in optoelectronics, plasmonics and renewable energy. However, existing models fail to explain key quantitative details of SPP-to-HC conversion experiments. Here we develop a quantum mechanical framework and apply first-principles calculations to study the energy distribution and scattering processes of HCs generated by SPPs in Au and Ag. We find that the relative positions of the s and d bands of noble metals regulate the energy distribution and mean free path of the HCs, and that the electron–phonon interaction controls HC energy loss and transport. Our results prescribe optimal conditions for HC generation and extraction, and invalidate previously employed free-electron-like models. Our work combines density functional theory, GW and electron–phonon calculations to provide microscopic insight into HC generation and ultrafast dynamics in noble metals.

Multifunctional Au-ZnO Plasmonic Nanostructures for Enhanced UV Photodetector and Room Temperature NO Sensing Devices

Abstract: In this study we report the enhancement of UV photodetection and wavelength tunable light induced NO gas sensing at room temperature using Au-ZnO nanocomposites synthesized by a simple photochemical process Plasmonic Au-ZnO nanostructures with a size less than the incident wavelength have been found to exhibit a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) that leads to a strong absorption, scattering and local field enhancement The photoresponse of Au-ZnO nanocomposite can be effectively enhanced by 80 times at 335 nm over control ZnO We also demonstrated Au-ZnO nanocomposite's application to wavelength tunable gas sensor operating at room temperature The sensing response of Au-ZnO nancomposite is enhanced both in UV and visible region, as compared to control ZnO The sensitivity is observed to be higher in the visible region due to the LSPR effect of Au NPs The selectivity is found to be higher for NO gas over CO and some other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with a minimum detection limit of 01 ppb for Au-ZnO sensor at 335 nm

General Metasurface Synthesis Based on Susceptibility Tensors

Abstract: A general method, based on susceptibility tensors, is proposed for the synthesis of metasurfaces transforming arbitrary incident waves into arbitrary reflected and transmitted waves. The proposed method exhibits two advantages: 1) it is inherently vectorial, and therefore better suited for full vectorial (beyond paraxial) electromagnetic problems; 2) it provides closed-form solutions, and is therefore extremely fast. Incidentally, the method reveals that a metasurface is fundamentally capable to transform up to four independent wave triplets (incident, reflected, and refracted waves). In addition, this paper provides the closed-form expressions relating the synthesized susceptibilities and the scattering parameters simulated within periodic boundary conditions, which allows one to design the scattering particles realizing the desired susceptibilities. The versatility of the method is illustrated by examples of metasurfaces achieving the following transformations: generalized refraction, reciprocal and nonreciprocal polarization rotation, Bessel vortex beam generation, and orbital angular momentum multiplexing.

Fluorescence Imaging In Vivo at Wavelengths beyond 1500 nm

Abstract: Compared to imaging in the visible and near-infrared regions below 900 nm, imaging in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 1000–1700 nm) is a promising method for deep-tissue high-resolution optical imaging in vivo mainly owing to the reduced scattering of photons traversing through biological tissues. Herein, semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes with large diameters were used for in vivo fluorescence imaging in the long-wavelength NIR region (1500–1700 nm, NIR-IIb). With this imaging agent, 3–4 μm wide capillary blood vessels at a depth of about 3 mm could be resolved. Meanwhile, the blood-flow speeds in multiple individual vessels could be mapped simultaneously. Furthermore, NIR-IIb tumor imaging of a live mouse was explored. NIR-IIb imaging can be generalized to a wide range of fluorophores emitting at up to 1700 nm for high-performance in vivo optical imaging.

Micro-focused Brillouin light scattering: imaging spin waves at the nanoscale

Abstract: Spin waves constitute an important part of research in the field of magnetization dynamics. Spin waves are the elementary excitations of the spin system in a magnetically ordered material state and magnons are their quasi particles. In the following article, we will discuss the optical method of Brillouin light scattering (BLS) spectroscopy which is a now a well established tool for the characterization of spin waves. BLS is the inelastic scattering of light from spin waves and confers several benefits: the ability to map the spin wave intensity distribution with spatial resolution and high sensitivity as well as the potential to simultaneously measure the frequency and the wave vector and, therefore, the dispersion properties. For several decades, the field of spin waves gained huge interest by the scientific community due to its relevance regarding fundamental issues of spindynamics in the field of solid states physics. The ongoing research in recent years has put emphasis on the high potential of spin waves regarding information technology. In the emerging field of \textit{magnonics}, several concepts for a spin-wave based logic have been proposed and realized. Opposed to charge-based schemes in conventional electronics and spintronics, magnons are charge-free currents of angular momentum, and, therefore, less subject to scattering processes that lead to heating and dissipation. This fact is highlighted by the possibility to utilize spin waves as information carriers in electrically insulating materials. These developments have propelled the quest for ways and mechanisms to guide and manipulate spin-wave transport. In particular, a lot of effort is put into the miniaturization of spin-wave waveguides and the excitation of spin waves in structures with sub-micrometer dimensions. For the further development of potential spin-wave-based devices, the ability to directly observe spin-wave propagation with spatial resolution is crucial. As an optical technique BLS do

SASBDB, a repository for biological small-angle scattering data

Abstract: Small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS and SANS) are fundamental tools used to study the global shapes of proteins, nucleic acids, macromolecular complexes and assemblies in solution. Due to recent advances in instrumentation and computational methods, the quantity of experimental scattering data and subsequent publications is increasing dramatically. The need for a global repository allowing investigators to locate and access experimental scattering data and associated models was recently emphasized by the wwPDB small-angle scattering task force (SAStf). The small-angle scattering biological data bank (SASBDB) www.sasbdb.org has been designed in accordance with the plans of the SAStf as part of a future federated system of databases for biological SAXS and SANS. SASBDB is a comprehensive repository of freely accessible and fully searchable SAS experimental data and models that are deposited together with the relevant experimental conditions, sample details and instrument characteristics. At present the quality of deposited experimental data and the accuracy of models are manually curated, with future plans to integrate automated systems as the database expands.

Three-dimensional charge density wave order in YBa2Cu3O6.67 at high magnetic fields.

Abstract: Charge density wave (CDW) correlations have been shown to universally exist in cuprate superconductors. However, their nature at high fields inferred from nuclear magnetic resonance is distinct from that measured with x-ray scattering at zero and low fields. We combined a pulsed magnet with an x-ray free-electron laser to characterize the CDW in YBa2Cu3O6.67 via x-ray scattering in fields of up to 28 tesla. While the zero-field CDW order, which develops at temperatures below ~150 kelvin, is essentially two dimensional, at lower temperature and beyond 15 tesla, another three-dimensionally ordered CDW emerges. The field-induced CDW appears around the zero-field superconducting transition temperature; in contrast, the incommensurate in-plane ordering vector is field-independent. This implies that the two forms of CDW and high-temperature superconductivity are intimately linked.

Photoacoustically guided wavefront shaping for enhanced optical focusing in scattering media

Abstract: Non-invasively focusing light into strongly scattering media, such as biological tissue, is highly desirable but challenging. Recently, ultrasonically guided wavefront shaping technologies have been developed to address this limitation. So far, the focusing resolution of most implementations has been limited by acoustic diffraction. Here, we introduce nonlinear photoacoustically guided wavefront shaping (PAWS), which achieves optical diffraction-limited focusing in scattering media. We develop an efficient dual-pulse excitation approach to generate strong nonlinear photoacoustic (PA) signals based on the Grueneisen relaxation effect. These nonlinear PA signals are used as feedback to guide iterative wavefront optimization. As a result, light is effectively focused to a single optical speckle grain on the scale of 5-7 µm, which is ~10 times smaller than the acoustic focus with an enhancement factor of ~6,000 in peak fluence. This technology has the potential to benefit many applications that desire highly confined strong optical focus in tissue.

Millimeter-wave polarization of protoplanetary disks due to dust scattering

Abstract: We present a new method to constrain the grain size in protoplanetary disks with polarization observations at millimeter wavelengths. If dust grains are grown to the size comparable to the wavelengths, the dust grains are expected to have a large scattering opacity, and thus the continuum emission is expected to be polarized due to self-scattering. We perform 3D radiative transfer calculations to estimate the polarization degree for the protoplanetary disks having radial Gaussian-like dust surface density distributions, which have been recently discovered. The maximum grain size is set to be and the observing wavelength to be 870 . We find that the polarization degree is as high as 2.5% with a subarcsec spatial resolution, which is likely to be detected with near-future ALMA observations. The emission is polarized due to scattering of anisotropic continuum emission. The map of the polarization degree shows a double-peaked distribution, and the polarization vectors are in the radial direction in the inner ring and in the azimuthal direction in the outer ring. We also find the wavelength dependence of the polarization degree: the polarization degree is the highest if dust grains have a maximum size of , where λ is the observing wavelength. Hence, multi-wave and spatially resolved polarization observations toward protoplanetary disks enable us to put a constraint on the grain size. The constraint on the grain size from polarization observations is independent of or may be even stronger than that from the opacity index.

Evidence for hydrodynamic electron flow in PdCoO$_2$

Abstract: Electron transport is conventionally determined by the momentum-relaxing scattering of electrons by the host solid and its excitations. The electrical resistance is set by geometrical factors and the resistivity, which is a microscopic property of the solid. Hydrodynamic fluid flow through channels, in contrast, is determined by geometrical factors, boundary scattering and the viscosity of the fluid, which is governed by momentum-conserving internal collisions. A long-standing question in the physics of solids, brought into focus by the advent of new calculational techniques, has been whether the viscosity of the electron fluid plays an observable role in determining the resistance. At first sight this seems unlikely, because in almost all known materials the rate of momentum-relaxing collisions dominates that of the momentum-conserving ones that give the viscous term. Here, we show this is not always the case. We report experimental evidence that the resistance of restricted channels of the ultra-pure two-dimensional metal PdCoO$_2$ has a large viscous contribution. Comparison with theory allows an estimate of the electronic viscosity in the range between $6\times 10^{-3}$~kg(ms)$^{-1}$ and $3\times 10^{-4}$~kg(ms)$^{-1}$, which brackets that of water at room temperature.

Einstein-Yang-Mills scattering amplitudes from scattering equations

Abstract: We present the building blocks that can be combined to produce tree-level S-matrix elements of a variety of theories with various spins mixed in arbitrary dimensions. The new formulas for the scattering of n massless particles are given by integrals over the positions of n points on a sphere restricted to satisfy the scattering equations. As applications, we obtain all single-trace amplitudes in Einstein-Yang-Mills (EYM) theory, and generalizations to include scalars. Also in EYM but extended by a B-field and a dilaton, we present all double-trace gluon amplitudes. The building blocks are made of Pfaffians and Parke-Taylor-like factors of subsets of particle labels.

Imaging Molecular Motion: Femtosecond X-Ray Scattering of an Electrocyclic Chemical Reaction

Abstract: Structural rearrangements within single molecules occur on ultrafast time scales. Many aspects of molecular dynamics, such as the energy flow through excited states, have been studied using spectroscopic techniques, yet the goal to watch molecules evolve their geometrical structure in real time remains challenging. By mapping nuclear motions using femtosecond x-ray pulses, we have created real-space representations of the evolving dynamics during a well-known chemical reaction and show a series of time-sorted structural snapshots produced by ultrafast time-resolved hard x-ray scattering. A computational analysis optimally matches the series of scattering patterns produced by the x rays to a multitude of potential reaction paths. In so doing, we have made a critical step toward the goal of viewing chemical reactions on femtosecond time scales, opening a new direction in studies of ultrafast chemical reactions in the gas phase.

High-Precision Determination of the Pion-Nucleon σ Term from Roy-Steiner Equations

Abstract: We present a determination of the pion-nucleon (πN) σ term σ_{πN} based on the Cheng-Dashen low-energy theorem (LET), taking advantage of the recent high-precision data from pionic atoms to pin down the πN scattering lengths as well as of constraints from analyticity, unitarity, and crossing symmetry in the form of Roy-Steiner equations to perform the extrapolation to the Cheng-Dashen point in a reliable manner. With isospin-violating corrections included both in the scattering lengths and the LET, we obtain σ_{πN}=(59.1±1.9±3.0) MeV=(59.1±3.5) MeV, where the first error refers to uncertainties in the πN amplitude and the second to the LET. Consequences for the scalar nucleon couplings relevant for the direct detection of dark matter are discussed.

Ultrabright X-ray laser scattering for dynamic warm dense matter physics

Abstract: Warm dense matter (WDM), which falls in the category between plasmas and condensed matter, is expected to exist in planetary interiors. Now, researchers use an X-ray laser to observe the transition to WDM.

High-mobility β-Ga2O3() single crystals grown by edge-defined film-fed growth method and their Schottky barrier diodes with Ni contact

Abstract: High-Hall-electron-mobility and high-performance Schottky barrier diodes for edge-defined fed-grown () β-Ga2O3 single crystals have been demonstrated. A high electron mobility of 886 cm2/(Vs) at 85 K was obtained. By theoretical specific scattering mechanisms, it was found that the electron mobility for >200 K is limited by optical phonon scattering and that for <100 K by ionized impurity scattering. On Schottky barrier diodes with Ni contacts, the current density for the forward voltage was 70.3 A/cm2 at 2.0 V, and a nearly ideal ideality factor of 1.01 was obtained.

Review of short-wave infrared spectroscopy and imaging methods for biological tissue characterization

Abstract: We present a review of short-wave infrared (SWIR, defined here as ∼1000 to 2000 nm) spectroscopy and imaging techniques for biological tissue optical property characterization. Studies indicate notable SWIR absorption features of tissue constituents including water (near 1150, 1450, and 1900 nm), lipids (near 1040, 1200, 1400, and 1700 nm), and collagen (near 1200 and 1500 nm) that are much more prominent than corresponding features observed in the visible and near-infrared (VIS-NIR, defined here as ∼400 to 1000 nm). Furthermore, the wavelength dependence of the scattering coefficient has been observed to follow a power-law decay from the VIS-NIR to the SWIR region. Thus, the magnitude of tissue scattering is lower at SWIR wavelengths than that observed at VIS or NIR wavelengths, potentially enabling increased penetration depth of incident light at SWIR wavelengths that are not highly absorbed by the aforementioned chromophores. These aspects of SWIR suggest that the tissue spectroscopy and imaging in this range of wavelengths have the potential to provide enhanced sensitivity (relative to VIS-NIR measurements) to chromophores such as water and lipids, thereby helping to characterize changes in the concentrations of these chromophores due to conditions such as atherosclerotic plaque, breast cancer, and burns.

Symmetry of charge order in cuprates

Abstract: Charge-modulated states are investigated through resonant X-ray scattering in two cuprate families. This work provides insights on the origin and the microscopic description of charge order, and on its interplay with superconductivity.

Neutrino-driven explosion of a 20 solar-mass star in three dimensions enabled by strange-quark contributions to neutrino-nucleon scattering

Abstract: Interactions with neutrons and protons play a crucial role for the neutrino opacity of matter in the supernova core. Their current implementation in many simulation codes, however, is rather schematic and ignores not only modifications for the correlated nuclear medium of the nascent neutron star, but also free-space corrections from nucleon recoil, weak magnetism or strange quarks, which can easily add up to changes of several 10% for neutrino energies in the spectral peak. In the Garching supernova simulations with the Prometheus-Vertex code, such sophistications have been included for a long time except for the strange-quark contributions to the nucleon spin, which affect neutral-current neutrino scattering. We demonstrate on the basis of a 20 M_sun progenitor star that a moderate strangeness-dependent contribution of g_a^s = -0.2 to the axial-vector coupling constant g_a = 1.26 can turn an unsuccessful three-dimensional (3D) model into a successful explosion. Such a modification is in the direction of current experimental results and reduces the neutral-current scattering opacity of neutrons, which dominate in the medium around and above the neutrinosphere. This leads to increased luminosities and mean energies of all neutrino species and strengthens the neutrino-energy deposition in the heating layer. Higher nonradial kinetic energy in the gain layer signals enhanced buoyancy activity that enables the onset of the explosion at ~300 ms after bounce, in contrast to the model with vanishing strangeness contributions to neutrino-nucleon scattering. Our results demonstrate the close proximity to explosion of the previously published, unsuccessful 3D models of the Garching group.

Temperature dependence of spin diffusion length and spin Hall angle in Au and Pt

Abstract: We have studied the spin transport and the spin Hall effect as a function of temperature for platinum (Pt) and gold (Au) in lateral spin valve structures. First, by using the spin absorption technique, we extract the spin diffusion length of Pt and Au. Secondly, using the same devices, we have measured the spin Hall conductivity and analyzed its evolution with temperature to identify the dominant scattering mechanisms behind the spin Hall effect. This analysis confirms that the intrinsic mechanism dominates in Pt whereas extrinsic effects are more relevant in Au. Moreover, we identify and quantify the phonon-induced skew scattering. We show that this contribution to skew scattering becomes relevant in metals such as Au, with a low residual resistivity.

Imaging with nature: compressive imaging using a multiply scattering medium.

Abstract: The recent theory of compressive sensing leverages upon the structure of signals to acquire them with much fewer measurements than was previously thought necessary, and certainly well below the traditional Nyquist-Shannon sampling rate. However, most implementations developed to take advantage of this framework revolve around controlling the measurements with carefully engineered material or acquisition sequences. Instead, we use the natural randomness of wave propagation through multiply scattering media as an optimal and instantaneous compressive imaging mechanism. Waves reflected from an object are detected after propagation through a well-characterized complex medium. Each local measurement thus contains global information about the object, yielding a purely analog compressive sensing method. We experimentally demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach for optical imaging by using a 300-micrometer thick layer of white paint as the compressive imaging device. Scattering media are thus promising candidates for designing efficient and compact compressive imagers.

Application of circularly polarized light for non-invasive diagnosis of cancerous tissues and turbid tissue-like scattering media

Abstract: Polarization-based optical techniques have become increasingly popular in the field of biomedical diagnosis. In the current report we exploit the directional awareness of circularly and/or elliptically polarized light backscattered from turbid tissue-like scattering media. We apply circularly and elliptically polarized laser light which illuminates the samples of interest, and a standard optical polarimeter is used to observe the polarization state of light backscattered a few millimeters away from the point of incidence. We demonstrate that the Stokes vector of backscattered light depicted on a Poincare sphere can be used to assess a turbid tissue-like scattering medium. By tracking the Stokes vector of the detected light on the Poincare sphere, we investigate the utility of this approach for characterization of cancerous and non-cancerous tissue samples in vitro. The obtained results are discussed in the framework of a phenomenological model and the results of a polarization tracking Monte Carlo model, developed in house. Schematic illustration of the experimental approach utilizing circularly and elliptically polarized light for probing turbid tissue-like scattering media.

Are Mobilities in Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Halide Perovskites Actually “High”?

Abstract: We present an experimental and theoretical viewpoint on the electronic carrier mobilities of typical hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs). While these mobilities are often quoted as high, a review of them shows that although otherwise the semiconducting properties of HOIPs are impressively good, mobilities of HOIPs used in most solar cells are actually not that high. This is especially apparent if they are compared to those of inorganic semiconductors used in other high efficiency solar cells. We critically examine possible causes and focus on electron-lattice coupling mechanisms that are active at room temperature, and can lead to carrier scattering. From this, we propose scattering due to acoustic phonons or polarons as possible causes, but also point out the difficulties with each of these in view of additional experimental and theoretical findings in the literature. Further research in this direction will contribute to making HOIP solar cells even more efficient than they already are.

Correlation Map, a goodness-of-fit test for one-dimensional X-ray scattering spectra

Abstract: Assessing similarity between data sets with the reduced χ(2) test requires the estimation of experimental errors, which, if incorrect, may render statistical comparisons invalid. We report a goodness-of-fit test, Correlation Map (CorMap), for assessing differences between one-dimensional spectra independently of explicit error estimates, using only data point correlations. Using small-angle X-ray scattering data, we demonstrate that CorMap maintains the power of the reduced χ(2) test; moreover, CorMap is also applicable to other physical experiments.